Tyson Fury promised to kick Francis Ngannou “in the b***ocks” should the former UFC heavyweight champion attempt an MMA move in the pair’s highly anticipated bout.
On October 28 Fury, the current WBC heavyweight and lineal champion will take on Ngannou in Saudi Arabia, as part of Riyadh Season, the Gulf state's annual entertainment and sports festival.
Indeed, Ngannou, who left UFC in January this year as the reigning heavyweight champion, will be making his boxing debut.
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Meanwhile, Fury, who has held the WBC title since 2020, will be fighting for the first time since he retained his belt against Derek Chisora at London Stadium last December.
That night, coming out of retirement, The Gypsy King dominated his opponent before claiming a TKO in the 10th Round.
But in Saudi Arabia Fury’s bout will see two worlds collide, with Ngannou trading the octagon for the ring,
Fights between conventional boxers and MMA athletes are becoming the rage, with Nate Diaz having taken on Jake Paul back in August.
And while Diaz was decisively beaten by the YouTuber-turned-boxer, in the ninth round the former went back to his roots as he tried to choke out Paul with an MMA move.
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Referencing the incident, Fury insisted he would kick Ngannou “in the b***ocks” should he attempt anything similar in their fight.
When SPORTbible asked what he’d do if Ngannou attempted an MMA move during their bout, Fury replied: “I wouldn’t advise it because I'll kick him in the b****ocks if he does. Hard.
“People won’t be complaining if it shoulda, woulda, coulda be a low blow. It will be a low blow.“
Fury added: “I think I can beat Ngannou in an MMA fight. I think I could beat him in a cage.
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“Maybe that’s the fight down the line. I definitely think I could beat him in a cage. What’s he going to do? He’s a puncher; he’s a striker. He’s not the best wrestler in the world. He’s not the best jiu-jitsu person in the world.
“He’s a puncher so he’s got as much chance of beating me in a boxing fight as he would do in a cage. [I have no MMA experience] but I'm 20 stone, 6 ft 9 and wild so if I’m swinging bombs at him only one has got to land.”
Chris Byfield